Activation of monocytes and cytokine production in patients with peripheral atherosclerosis obliterans.

Background: Arterial peripheral disease is a condition caused by the blocked blood flow resulting from arterial cholesterol deposits within the arms, legs and aorta. Studies have shown that macrophages in atherosclerotic plaque are highly activated, which makes these cells important antigen-presenting cells that develop a specific immune response, in which LDLox is the inducing antigen. As functional changes of cells which participate in the atherogenesis process may occur in the peripheral blood, the objectives of the present study were to evaluate plasma levels of anti-inflammatory and inflammatory cytokines including TNF-α, IFN-γ, interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-10 and TGF-β in patients with peripheral arteriosclerosis obliterans, to assess the monocyte activation level in peripheral blood through the ability of these cells to release hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and to develop fungicidal activity against Candida albicans (C.

Prophylaxis of deep-vein thrombosis after lower extremity amputation: comparison of low molecular weight heparin with unfractionated heparin.

Purpose: To compare the efficacy and safety of a low molecular weight heparin (enoxaparin) with unfractionated heparin (UH) in this prophylaxis.

Methods: Seventy five patients (59 men and 16 women), undergoing major lower extremity amputation (30 above-knee and 45 below-knee), were randomized to be treated with subcutaneous UH (5,000 IU t.i.